Los Angeles, CA – Global pop icon Miley Cyrus has spoken out about the personal consequences of her 2013–14 Bangerz period, stating it was a period of time that she “lost everything” within her private life, including family, friends, and dating relationships. The singer’s open-eyed introspection occurred on a candid episode of the Reclaiming with Monica Lewinsky podcast, in which she spoke about the tremendous emotional cost that accompanied her provocative redefinition upon making the transition from Disney sweetheart to grown-up pop sensation.
A Transformative but Painful Reinvention
The 20-year-old Cyrus made a daring shift with the release of Bangerz, characterized by unapologetic sensuality, a twerking performance at the 2013 VMAs with Robin Thicke, and the hit song “Wrecking Ball.” But while the headlines and the dollar amount like her $63–70 million touring grosses said otherwise, she tells us the era wrecked much more than it gained.
In her latest interview, Cyrus revealed that “no one wanted to date me” back then because “my sexual expression… was broadcast to the world” in a manner that provided little room for private relationships.
She continued, “Then, I lost everything in my personal life due to the decisions I was making in my career”.
Family Fallout and Public Shame
Cyrus also made clear the deep emotional toll her new form had on her family. Her siblings were said to “feel humiliated” by the scrutiny and stayed home from school, with her fighting just to confront her father, claiming she couldn’t “look him in the eyes and not feel super embarrassed”.
The severe backlash from her on-stage performances and public image made going home emotionally charged.
This all-encompassing public examination shattered her family relationships. Cyrus remarked that “my relationships fell apart” and that her honesty was too raw for the people who were closest to her, and there was a pervasive sense of guilt and shame in the experience.
A Tour That Made Zero Dollars, Costing More Than It Earned
While the Bangerz Tour saw tremendous ticket sales, Cyrus broke the news that she “didn’t make a dime” from it. She funded the spectacle herself, insisting on high-production, edge-pushing shows with hot-dog rides and giant set pieces—on her own dime.
She posted in a “Used to Be Young” TikTok clip: “The Bangerz Tour was an investment in me… I paid for everything… because I wanted the tour to be great”.
Redoing the Cultural Backlash
To others, Bangerz was a cultural phenomenon that transformed the pop scene. But to Cyrus, it was a battle of emotions and psychology. She accepted the imposed shock value – a rebuff against her Disney past, but confessed, “I was creating attention for myself… I carried some guilt and shame around myself for years because of how much controversy and upset I really caused”.
Teen Vogue also added emphasis on the ways in which Cyrus was “harshly judged” and how she now empathizes with the suffering she caused her younger self.
Development Through Vulnerability and Music
Now, Cyrus is in a very different place aligned with healing, artistic truth, and abstinence. Her new album, Something Beautiful (May 30, 2025), was portrayed as a visual, introspective record about healing from trauma.
She’s embraced a more grounded lifestyle, valorizing mental wellness and rejecting art for shock’s sake, a shift she reflected on in British Vogue, saying she now “puts my mental and physical health before a paycheque”.
Reclaiming Identity and Public Space
On Reclaiming, Cyrus said she’s learned to take ownership of her past choices without shame. She’s distanced from the provocative persona she once crafted, noting, “I’m just evolved” – no longer defined by sensationalism.
Her acceptance of earlier failures such as the Robin Thicke performance that “hit so hard” and left her “so embarrassed” -emphasizes a development trajectory from provocation to self-overcoming.
What’s Next for Miley
Cyrus seems dedicated to an evolutionary path juggling artistic risk and personal ethics. Something Beautiful opened to good notices, announcing her transition from pop provocateur to reflective artist.
At 32, she’s also venturing into acting and entrepreneurship, performing a polymath creative identity outside of music.
Wider Impact on Celebrity Culture
Cyrus’s narrative is a cautionary tale about the price of compelled reinvention and the consequences of navigating public persona under extreme examination. It also points to the human cost behind celebrity and questions self-expression, mental health, and the cost of fame in the social media era.
Her experience gives background and understanding for other creatives working through blowback from daring artistic turns.
Miley Cyrus came out of the Bangerz period with profound emotional tolls estranged family relationships, broken friendships, and a financial shortfall she self-funded. But her path since then is one of development, resilience, and a reclaiming of control. With each piece of introspective music she drops and each movement toward authenticity, Cyrus’s narrative is not one of scandal anymore, but one of healing, transformation, and becoming truly independent.
